‘Arrow’ Star Rick Gonzalez Addresses Wild Dog Costume Controversy

Wild Dog is looking a little less scrappy in “Arrow” Season 6. After running around in a sweatshirt and hockey gear for Season 5, The CW drama upgraded his suit in Season 6. Actor Rick Gonzalez says he digs his new costume, even if comic book artist Terry Beatty feels differently.

“I love the suit, and I totally understand Terry’s take on it,” Gonzalez told International Business Times. “He should feel very protective over the suit and everything that he created. You want to have that on screen.”

Beatty, who co-created Wild Dog for DC Comics, was frustrated with the new suit. He took to social media to complain that “Arrow” had changed his and writer Max Allan Collins’ character too much. “This change erases any trace of the original Collins/Beatty concept for the character. I would not be surprised if his name gets changed before too long, as well,” Beatty wrote on Facebook last week.

Rick Gonzalez appreciates the new Wild Dog suit in “Arrow” Season 6.Photo: The CW

Gonzalez acknowledged it was a departure from the comics. However, “Arrow,” like most comic book adaptations, has never stayed faithful to every aspect of the source material.

“I think what we did was we definitely honored the comic book and kept it very close in Season 5,” the actor added. “I think that’s an accomplishment in itself because not many other comic book films and TV shows do that or are even capable of doing that. But we managed to pull it off, and I think Season 5 was special, especially with having Wild Dog and his energy and just even the way he looked.”

While the actor respects Beatty’s opinion, he actually loves the new Wild Dog suit. The New York native actor praised those who worked on the new costume. “I think that this season I have to give props to [costume designer] Maya Mani and [concept illustrator] Andy Poon for creating a suit that I feel like gives a tip of the hat to last season,” he said.

The star, who is currently raising funds for Puerto Rico’s hurricane relief efforts, said there’s also a sort of Easter egg in the suit that he isn’t sure fans have noticed. “I haven’t seen any of the fans point out the Wild Dog in the suit because it’s in there,” he teased. “Maya specifically in the design kind of created, with the paneling and the way the suit looks, [a way] to kind of show off the dog and I challenge people to see if they can pick that out. To me it’s really cool, and I think it kind of lends to the energy of Team Arrow and the way everyone else looks, but at the same time, still giving Rene his own bite, no pun intended.”

“Arrow” Season 6 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. EDT on The CW. Check back tomorrow for more from Gonzalez on Wild Dog’s reaction to the new Green Arrow!

Actor Rick Gonzalez (left) said there are design details in the new Wild Dog costume that fans haven't noticed yet.Photo: The CW